Just 8 Month Into First Term, White House Now Investigating Employees’ Extensive Use Of Private Email

The White House has launched an internal probe of private email use, pulling batches of emails on the White House server to and from private accounts of senior aides, according to four officials familiar with the matter. The effort began this week after POLITICO reported that Jared Kushner and a number of other senior White House officials used private email accounts throughout the year to conduct government business.

Of particular interest is Kushner and Ivanka Trump’s private email domain, because they still work in the White House, two officials said. Accounts of other White House officials also are being reviewed.

The probe could take several weeks or even months to complete, according to one of these people, as officials are searching for all emails sent or received about government business. The White House counsel’s office is reviewing the accounts to determine whether the messages are germane to any investigations such as the ongoing Russia probes by Congress and special counsel Robert Mueller, one of these people said.

News about the private email accounts caught many White House lawyers by surprise, one of these people said, and infuriated a number of White House officials.